Kent Morgan was attacked as he walked home from work because he was wearing a pink shirt. Photo / Kent Morgan
A man who was beaten up as he walked home from work says two men attacked him simply because he was wearing a pink shirt.
Kent Morgan from Blenheim was left cut and bloodied after being jumped at random as he made his way home following a shift at a local Irish Bar last Friday.
The 32-year-old was walking past a dark alleyway when he was called a "pink shirt wearing homo" by two men.
Despite Morgan putting his head down and ignoring the pair as they continued to harass him about the colour of his clothing, he said they were seemingly determined to create a fight no matter what he did.
Instantly knowing he was going to be attacked, he braced and prepared to face the pair.
While they initially had the jump on him it wasn't long before the father-of-one got the upper hand, fighting back against the two in self defence.
"I heard sprinting behind me and knew it wasn't going to go too well," he said.
"One guy had me in a body hold and the other guy was hitting me in the eye, but I managed to turn myself to the side and slip out of the hold and wiggle my way free.
"I hit the guy in front of me three or four times and then the one behind me was still holding onto me, so I grabbed him by the ears and bit into his cheek.
"He squealed and just ran off, but they kept yelling at me about my pink shirt.
"I've never gone out looking for a fight and I hope it never happens again, but I know how to look after myself."
Morgan said he had made a trip to hospital upon the insistence of his wife, while he'd also promised not to walk home from work anymore.
While on the whole he's feeling fine, Morgan said the anti-homosexual motive for the attack didn't sit well with him.
"I've got no issues with homosexuals and I've got mates who are gay, so it's clearly a blight in the way these guys have been brought up," he said.